God’s Expectations of His Followers as Seen in Genesis 22
What are God’s expectations? The late Dr. Adrian Rodgers, longtime pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church (Memphis, TN area), once told the story of a woman who was under deep conviction on the first night of a series of evangelistic services. She wanted to receive Christ, but she didn’t want to walk down in front of the entire crowd to make her decision. After the meeting, this woman found a counselor and told her of her frustration. “I want to be saved, but do I have to walk down in front of all those people to become a Christian?” The counselor told the woman that yes, she did have to walk down in front of everyone. Disappointed, the woman went home.
Willing To Do “Anything”
The next night the woman again was under deep conviction, but she still was unwilling to walk down the aisle in front of the congregation. After the service, she found the same decision counselor and asked again if she would have to walk down the aisle to make her decision for Christ. “Yes,” said the counselor, “you do need to make your decision for Christ in front of the entire congregation.”
On the night of the third service, the woman, who was under deep conviction yet again, found the decision counselor at the invitation and said, “I’m ready now! I’ll do anything to be saved! I’m willing to walk the aisle and make my decision for Christ.”
The decision counselor looked at the woman and joyfully said, “Wonderful! Now you can be saved right here at your seat!”
This anecdote reflects the requirements God makes of those who would be saved. We can do nothing to earn salvation. Forgiveness and eternal life are indeed free gifts, but they are not gifts that demand nothing of us. Indeed, salvation demands everything of us! We must be willing to do “anything!”
Abraham and Isaac
We see this in the account of Abraham’s taking steps to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to God in Genesis 22. God had made a promise to Abraham that from him would come a great nation. Abraham and Sarah waited many years for the son God promised—so Abraham must have wondered why God had asked him to sacrifice Isaac. Even so, he was willing to trust the Lord to keep His promise, even if Isaac died on the altar (see Heb. 11:19). Abraham’s willingness to take steps to obey God proved he loved God more than his own son, and God was pleased with this demonstration of supreme love (see Gen. 22:12). God intervened and provided the sacrifice for Abraham that day, and Isaac was spared. Surely Abraham’s relationship with God grew deeper than ever before.
What does God call on believers in Christ to sacrifice today? Consider these passages, each of which helps us to better understand Jesus’ expectations of His followers: Matthew 10:37-39; 16:24-26; Luke 9:57-62; 12:8-9; 13-21; 14:25-35. God always wants all His followers to be willing to give up anything and everything for Christ’s sake. Yet it’s also true He asks some to make sacrifices He doesn’t ask others to make. The important thing for every believer is to focus on Jesus and to love Him supremely. Then, if and when He asks for something, the believer will be ready and willing to let Jesus have it and will trust God to provide everything needed, just as Abraham did.
B. Nathaniel Sullivan
Christian educator, Bible teacher, and Editor
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations in SundaySchoolZone.com materials are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
